His First Love
by Xaleria07
Summary: Despite the prejudice, despite the war, despite the spite he knew he would receive from peers and his own family, he still fell in love with her. And she was still his first love.


**His First Love **

**A One-shot**

**Summary: **Despite the prejudice, despite the war, despite the spite he knew he would receive from peers and his own family, he still fell in love with her. And she was still his first love.

**After watching episodes 20-22, I was inspired to write this. Also, I heard a rumor, so I'm not sure if it's true or not but whatever! I'm writing it anyway!!**

**And what the heck?? There's no Gino character in the list?? How sad, he needs more love! :(**

**This is my first try at writing Code Geass, so sometimes they may seem OOC. But I hope you guys enjoy it!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own CG in any way. And…well, I guess I don't own the rumor either??**

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He was fourteen when he first fell in love.

She was around his age, maybe younger, and a daughter of an Eleven maid. And while that was the only thing his parents saw, a mere Eleven to pity, he saw a strong-willed woman. That was what spurred his attraction.

The spark in her icy blue eyes, the firm line her plump, pink lips formed, and the way she just carried herself: graceful but with determination. She was no one you wanted to mess with, and he loved it.

She was different from the other girls he knew, mostly Britannian noblewomen who turned out to be spoiled brats. She was honest, although she usually got whipped for being _**too**_ honest, and unselfish, always thinking of others.

In fact, the first time he really noticed her, and not just as another maid he could give his laundry to, she had been saving one of those Britannian brat's life.

His family and a couple of others, all having noblewomen daughters (ugh), had gone on a boating trip, bringing some of their Eleven workers along. When one of the noblewomen got motion sickness and leaned over the railing too much, it was her who first jumped into the water to save the Britannian woman.

How beautiful she had been, swimming swiftly to the panicking woman and grabbing her, safely swimming back to the boat. The fire in her eyes had entranced him, as if they had said, "I will save this woman; I will save her despite her people condemning my people!". Even afterwards, once they were securely on the boat, the haughty woman pushed her away, screaming, "How _**dare**_ you touch me, you filthy Eleven!"

How much he wanted to go up that Britannian brat and throw her back into the water! How ungrateful she had been! That woman had saved her life, despite the fact that Elevens despised Britannians! He then noticed how courageous and caring that maid really was.

After that event, he started to notice different things.

-x-X-x-

"Ah, Kou! Wait up!" Karen Kouzuki turned, her blue eyes piercing at the unwanted nickname. He only chuckled though, quite used to her stares now.

"Do you need anything, Master Gino?" she asked through gritted teeth, bowing respectively although really she wanted to wrap her hands around his neck and squeeze tightly…really, was this guy a _**stalker**_ or something? He had been following her all week!!

"Yes, for one you could stop bowing. For another, just call me Gino," he smiled at her, reassuring her it was okay when she blinked disbelievingly.

"I shouldn't…" she trailed off, still taken aback by his words. Was this some kind of plot to get her in trouble?

"Really, it's alright." he repeated. "I don't want you to treat me like a noble, just treat me like any other person."

"But…that's disrespectful," she chose her words carefully, not wanting to be whipped for mistreating the only son of the family.

He paused, "Alright, what if I order you to stop bowing and call me Gino?"

She looked back at him, her blue eyes still uncertain and shocked. Before, Gino had never bothered to even glance at her, much less talk to her, why was he paying attention to her now?

"Then I would have to do as you wish, Master Gino."

"Stop it with the 'Master Gino's'! Just 'Gino' is fine!" He smiled brightly at her again, making a small smile force itself into her face. She guessed he wasn't so bad after all.

-x-X-x-

"Like this?" Gino managed to ask as he looked down at his stiff, stretched out limbs. Curious as to what he had seen Karen doing in the ballroom, he had asked her about it and ordered her to teach him. Turned out it was a traditional style of Eleven dancing called "odori".

And while Karen insisted it was one of the simplest styles of dancing, Gino could hardly keep himself still in those complicated positions.

"No," Karen sighed exasperated, coming over and fixing Gino's legs. "That's the way you position them."

Unused to the stiff stance, Gino's legs couldn't hold him and he toppled over. "Ow…" he muttered, shaking the headache away. As he opened his eyes, he was surprised, and embarrassed, to find that he was on top of Karen, his legs and arms keeping him propped up from lying on top of her entirely.

"Ah…sorry," Gino awkwardly offered his apology as he moved to get up, however his hand, which had gotten caught in Karen's clothes, slipped and he fell forward.

The next moment was silent, the two staring at each other in shock as they felt warm, moist lips against their own. It was still for a few seconds, then Karen pushed Gino off, her face turning red as she covered her mouth.

"Kou…" Gino started. "I didn't me—"

SLAP! It echoed throughout the room as her hand connected with his face, leaving a red mark. Karen ran out, her face still red as she fingered her mouth.

It had been her first kiss…

And she actually had liked it.

-x-X-x-

_What if she hates me now? _Gino worried to himself as his baby blue eyes traveled to center of his anxiety. She stood near a bookshelf, organizing it. They were the only ones in the family library, her to organize and him to study for his lessons.

Gino had his arm propped up on a table, his chin placed on them as he watched Karen work. She paused midway in putting a book away, turning to meet Gino's eyes. She glared at him, her cheeks turning a tad pink (with either embarrassment for fury he did not now) and turned away.

_Aw man, she must really hate me for that…_Gino groaned, the scene from yesterday playing in his head. _I should have been more careful! _

"Um…Kou…" She didn't turn around, continuing her work. "Look, about yesterday…I'm sorry…" He saw her freeze for a moment, then continue on as if she was choosing to ignore him.

Turning away, dejected, Gino turned back to his work. The hours seemed agonizing as he worked slowly, trying to ignore Karen's presence. Just as he was finishing up, Karen came up to the desk and placed a book on it.

"I hear it's a good book," was all she said before she scurried out of the library.

Looking after Karen, Gino then turned to the book, picking it up and flipping to the first page. He smiled as he read the first words, "I forgive you".

-x-X-x-

(A/N: Ahem, this is a small scene that I added for my friend, Ivy. Hope you enjoy it! :D)

Karen blew the bubbles from the tub, wishing she could stay there forever. Even if she was a maid, she was grateful for the accommodations that were provided at least. Some maids in some houses didn't even get a bathtub, much less get to use one of the family's bathrooms.

Finishing up her bath, for someone else would soon come in and complain that she was slacking off, Karen got out of the tub and wrapped herself in a small towel.

As she wiped the fog off of the mirror, she heard the door creak open. Assuming it was another maid, she called out, "I'll be finished in a minute."

"Kou?" a surprised voice called out, and Karen quickly spun around, her cheeks turning pink as she spotted Gino, just sporting pants.

She tried not to focus on his bare chest, toned with muscles already, as she stammered. "W-wh-what do you think you're doing in here?! Get out!"

She picked up the nearest item, a bar of soup, and flung it in his direction. He laughed as he ran away, "Your towel is very nice. Too bad I didn't have a camera."

"Pervert!" she shrieked as she threw another item at him, but the door shut closed. Still red, Karen turned back to the mirror to find that it was foggy again.

-x-X-x-

Each day in the family mansion seemed to get brighter for Gino. Although he had found his life dull and monotonous one time, he now looked forward to when he would spend his free time with Karen.

Over the months, they had actually become very close, opening up to each other as they never had done to anyone else before.

Gino told her of his problems such as trying to live up as the only son of the family and pleasing his father and mother. Karen told him of how her brother had been killed and her mother now took drugs to get over the depression of losing him. She also told him a secret she hadn't revealed to others: She was half-Britannian.

It seemed that her mother was an Eleven, but her father was Britannian.

This piece of news had elated Gino (seeing as he had a slight chance to marry her), and he asked her why she had chosen to go with her mother's name, "Kouzuki" which his nickname for her had derived from, instead of choosing her father's name.

"I chose my mother's name, because I believe I am actually an Japanese at heart." She told him. "I don't want to be like those Britannians that broke my family apart."

"But look at you, you're a maid. You can be so much more right now if you choose your father's name." Gino had explained.

But Karen stubbornly stayed on her case, saying that she was an Eleven and would always be an Eleven.

This news deflated his happiness from earlier. If she refused to be Britannian, then no one would see her as Britannian.

Even so, Gino still yearned for her.

-x-X-x-

Gino scrunched up his face, scowling as he sat up to glare at the door. Soft pounds were coming from it, as someone hurriedly whispered, "Gino! Gino! Open the door."

Thunder sounded outside and he could hear whimpering from the other side. "Gino…"

He then rushed to the door, now fully awake and recognizing the voice. "Kou!" he was shocked when she launched herself into his arms, hugging his waist tightly as more thunder sounded outside.

That was when it clicked. He smiled teasingly, "You're scared of thunder?"

"N-n-no!" she stammered, quickly jumping away from Gino. "I'm not!"

"You are!" he chuckled, never thinking that someone as brave as Karen would be scared of thunder.

"I am not!" she insisted, turning red that she had shown vulnerability.

"Right," he chuckled, crawling back into bed. He smiled asking, "Then why did you come to my room?"

"No particular reason," Karen huffed, crossing her arms as she tried to look like she wasn't scared, however, she shrieked when the thunder sounded again and quickly crawled into bed with Gino.

Turning around to face him, she hissed, "Don't you dare say anything about this to anyone."

Chuckling again, Gino pulled the covers over them and said, "Sure thing, Kou."

He tried to get comfortable then, realizing that Karen was right next to him…and so close…

Gino was taken by surprise again when he felt small arms wrapped around him, squeezing tightly as lighting and thunder clashed outside, rain hitting against the window. He chuckled softly as he looking at Karen, who had quickly fallen asleep but still looked scared. Gino wrapped his arms protectively around her, wishing to stay like that forever.

-x-X-x-

"SON OF A B—!" (Do they actually say that? Oh well…)

Gino was abruptly awoken by the screams of someone in pain. He shot up, staring at the sight in shock. His father stood, towering over him as he clenched Karen by her magenta hair. She was scratching at his hands, screaming as he pulled harder.

"What the hell are you doing in my son's bed, wench?!" he screamed at Karen, shaking her. She winced in pain. "You raped him, didn't you?! You bitch! I'll kill you!" (Gino was the one who was thinking pervy thoughts…)

"Father!" Gino begged as he jumped out of bed, grabbing the arm that held Karen. "Let her go! This was my fault!"

His father turned to him, "Don't cover up for this filthy Eleven, son! If she violated you, I swear on the King's name I will kill her!"

"No!" Gino screeched. "You can't kill her because…" his mind scrambled for answer, and he blurted out, "Because I love her!"

Taken aback by his son's words, his father let go of Karen, and she scrambled up, her eyes darting back and forth between father and son.

Intense baby blue eyes stared at each other. "What did you say?" his father asked, hoping he had heard wrong.

Gino, uncertain at first, became confident as he repeated, "I love her."

"How could you love a filthy, Eleven wench like her?!" His father raged. "She's an ELEVEN! AN ELEVEN! I will NOT have my SON with an ELEVEN!"

"You!" His father then turned on Karen. "You seduced him, didn't you?! Answer me, bitch!" He raised his fist, ready to strike Karen, except Gino ran in front of her, taking the blow.

"Gino!" his father gasped, watching as he son fell to the ground, falling unconscious by the strong hit. He knelt by his son, "Gino!"

"This is all your fault!" he screamed as he turned angrily to Karen. "GET OUT! GET OUT OF MY HOUSE! And never come back!"

Doing exactly as he said, Karen ran and never turned back.

-x-X-x-

**4 years later…**

Gino had become excited when he heard they had captured one of the Black Knights, their Ace at that. He wondered how he was like…

He had seen the Ace in some battles, and admired his skill and bravery despite him being the enemy. It had been the first thing had noticed, the grace yet determination he had put into his movements.

Gino wondered how they even caught him!

Whistling to himself, Gino opened the door leading to the Ace's locked chambers. As he walked up the prison tube (WTH?), he noticed something was very wrong.

First off, it was not a guy, but a girl. Second, it was a very familiar girl, having icy blue eyes with fiery spark in them, and plump, pink lips in a tight line. Lips he had felt before…

"Kou?"

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**So how'd I do for a first? :) And I apologize if anyone seems OOC. **

**I think this leaves room for a story or such, but I will debate on whether to make it one depending on the reviews and how popular it gets. And of course, whether I have the time.**

**Also, I got kinda lazy on the editing later on (because I'm tired) so there may be some mistakes left… **

**But I rather like writing the Gino/Karen(Kallen) couple! They're really cute!! XD But I'm still a Kallen/Lelouch supporter too! Aw, now I don't know who I want her to end up with… **

**But thank you for reading. Please review! :D**

**Ciao,**

**Xaleria**


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